Taken Back: Loving Emma
by James5
Summary: A continuation of 'Taken Back: Finding Haley.' As both sides vie for Emma, the situation moves to court, leading to ethical questions, legal disputes, and a close look at every parent's love for her.
1. Past

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 **"Past"**

* * *

 **12 Years Ago**

Raindrops pounded on Susan's car, coating her windows with a thickening curtain. The windshield wipers swept back and forth, trying their hardest to see her home.

She sighed and swore underneath her breath. A couple of tears rolled down her cheeks. Her day was hard enough already. The weather was only making it worse.

Why couldn't this storm have come a little sooner, before she'd driven past the old carnival? She'd winced upon seeing all the many sights there. Happy mothers. Joyful children. It reminded her of something she didn't like thinking of: life would never be the same for her and her husband. When they'd lost their daughter, they'd lost everything.

The tears grew thicker on Susan's face. She wasn't sure she'd ever be happy again.

Thunder roared. The rain hit harder. She wiped her cheeks and accelerated.

Then a tiny movement caught a bit of her eye. Through the rainy window, on the foggy street, someone was laying on the side of the road.

Her foot dropped heavily across the break. Her face became a portrait of shock and awe. She opened the door and ran onto the pavement, where a screaming little girl was cuddled all by herself. She appeared to be no more than three years old.

Susan scooped the child up while looking her over. The rain had soaked through her jacket and pants. After glancing around, and finding no one else near, she turned and rushed the girl into her car.

* * *

Dave sat quietly before the TV, showing little interest in a game on-screen. Susan was later than usual today. The storm appeared to be getting worse. He glanced at the window as a thunderbolt rang, then flattened his lips and brushed his dark hair back.

Upon hearing the door open, and then slam shut, he sighed in relief and called out toward his wife. "You okay?"

The sound of young weeping flowed into Dave's ear.

He frowned in confusion, and rose from his seat.

Susan stepped forth with a panicked look, her trench coat dripping as she cuddled the child.

"Honey?" Dave said, pausing in place. "Who's this?"

"I don't know," she replied, glancing between them.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I don't _know_. I found her laying on the street, near that old carvival. She was about to freeze, so I brought her with me." Susan eyed the girl nervously. Had the kid wandered off, or been abandoned? "Grab a blanket," she whispered to Dave.

Dave found one and brought it back, watching as Susan took the girl's coat off.

The child kept sobbing as her clothes were removed.

"It's okay, sweetie," Susan murmured, pulling the wet shirt from the girl's damp chest.

Then she saw it — and shuddered a bit.

Dave was approaching, and saw it too. He and his wife exchanged nervous looks.

A long, pink scar stretched across the girl's back. It had certainly been acquired before today.

Susan managed to steady herself, then rubbed her hand along the child's wound. After she'd removed all the other wet clothes, she wrapped the kid up within the soothing blanket, then held her close and tried calming her down.

Dave took a seat right next to his wife. They eyed one another with somber stares, before shifting their gazes back down to the kid.

Once the girl had fallen asleep, Susan glanced over at the distant window. A question repeated itself in her mind: Who could put this child through what she'd endured?

* * *

One week later, Susan watched from her porch as the girl skipped around, playing hopscotch on the walk in their yard.

The child began singing as she bounced through the path. "Step on a crack...fix your mother's back."

Susan smiled warmly at the altered verse. It was one of many changes that the kid had made up. She appeared to know the proper way to sing these tunes, but she still wrote her own versions anyway. The girl was creative. Susan liked that about her.

Dave came out and sat down beside Susan. He gazed at the many chalk markings on the ground. Amidst the scribbled flowers and smiley faces, he saw houses, animals, clouds, and trees. Vehicles, grass, mailboxes, and keys. "She drew all that by herself?" he wondered.

Susan nodded, staring forward. "She seems to be drawing what she's seen today."

Dave chuckled as he sensed a pattern. "Girl's got a lot of creative passion," he noted.

Susan reached over and took his hand. "She's wonderful, Dave. I keep finding so many things that I adore about her."

Dave eyed the child with a forlorn stare. He wasn't quite sure just when it had happened, but he appeared to be attached to this little girl too. Hour after hour, day after day, he found himself smiling as he bonded with her. The games of patty cake, the chats on the couch, the little laughs they shared as they teased one another.

He felt a certain joy that he didn't want to lose — which was why his heart sank as he turned to Susan. "It's time we talked about what we're going to do...I mean it's time we _really_ talked about it."

Susan closed her eyes, then opened them slowly. She watched the girl scribbling another little scene, looking so cute, so calm and sweet.

A pang hit her chest, and a sad frown followed. "If we go to the police, they'll send her away. They'll take her back to that person who gave her the scar, who left her out in the rain."

"Maybe that was an accident. Maybe the scar was as well."

She looked at her lap. "But what if they weren't?"

Dave quieted, watching the child again.

"Look at her, Dave." A flutter of warmth ran through Susan's heart. "Can you imagine letting anyone hurt this girl? Can you picture her lost in a storm again?"

Dave scowled, and looked away. Both of those thoughts made him sick to his stomach.

He studied the trees with an absent gaze, quietly holding a fist to his mouth.

After a long bout of silence had finally passed, Dave turned to the child, and calmly spoke up. "Do you really think we can do this? Do you think we can commit to her, I mean?"

Susan wrapped both of her hands around his.

Dave stared forward, watching the girl crawl about. It was time to bring another important issue to the table. "We have to call her something," he calmly noted.

Susan took a deep breath, summoning all of her strength. "Let's call her Emma."

He turned to her, looking deeply surprised. It was the very name of the daughter they'd lost. No one besides the two of them knew that she'd died.

"For her protection," Susan noted. She leaned forth, moving closer now. "I know that we can't bring our daughter back. That's not what I'm trying to do. I want to love this girl for who _she_ is." Susan looked at her, feeling a tear well up. "I already do."

* * *

Susan and Dave entered a noisy classroom. The kiddie talk was louder than usual today.

Emma glanced over as they made their entrance, then ran straight toward them with a paper in hand. "Daddy! Mommy! Look what I did!" Earlier on, she'd received an assignment with a number of drawings — a key and a door, a ball and a hoop, and various other images as well. Emma had drawn lines between these scattered little objects, identifying which of them had a connection.

A gold star was pasted at the top of her paper. This was the first time that Emma had gotten 100%.

Susan's face lit up, and she opened her arms. She and Emma shared their signature squeal. They laughed while warmly hugging each other, Susan bending down and stroking Emma's soft locks.

Dave watched both of them with unabashed love. He gave Emma a high-five once the hug had ended.

* * *

The fun park was bustling with a number of patrons. Sunshine and chatter swept over the scene.

Emma had now reached the age of seven, and was growing fascinated with automobiles. For the moment, however, the only vehicle she could use was an old bumper car, which she expertly whipped all around a rink.

Dave drove up and bumped into Emma. She let out a giggle, then bumped him back. Seconds later, Emma saw Susan's car driving straight at her. She moved aside, letting her bump into Dave.

The parents laughed, eyeing each other with glee, then both gazed warmly at the girl nearby.

* * *

Several years had come and gone, and Emma had now reached the age of 15.

Emma loved her mother. She truly did. But Susan had been annoyingly protective lately. She acted like her daughter was made of glass. Emma hardly went anywhere on her own, and rarely had the fun that her friends were having. It was putting a damper on her childhood, and causing a rift between Emma and Susan.

As the two pulled into their home driveway, Emma took a deep breath, then turned to her mom. "A girl in my class is having a party and I was wondering if maybe..." She paused upon sensing a tension in Susan. Emma quieted, and turned her head. "So that's a 'no.' "

Susan paused herself, then spoke pleasantly. "No, it...it's a 'maybe.' "

"Which really means no."

"No, it means _maybe_."

Emma turned to her with a look of surprise.

"I don't want us to fight anymore."

After a moment, the younger woman found her voice. " _Really_?" she said, caught completely off guard.

Susan smiled.

"So, I can _go_? Oh my God, thank you so much!"

"Yes, but I will drive you there and I will pick you up right afterwards."

Emma nodded in glee. "Deal! Thanks, Mom."

Moments later, they both left the car, holding each other happily as they ran inside.

Unbeknownst to either, far across the street, a woman with a camera was taking their picture.

* * *

Emma sat upon the stand in a quiet courtroom. She was sporting a pretty dress, and a nervous frown.

She'd recently received the biggest shock of her life: her parents were not her biological folks. Instead, she'd been born to a woman named Karen, who'd had a little too much to drink one day, and had let Emma wander off on her own. Back when Emma had learned the truth, she'd had blurry memories of a merry-go-round, seeing things the way she'd wanted to at the time. She couldn't recall other details of the day's events.

Emma was presently a ward of the state, which was threatening to put Dave and Susan in jail. A shiver ran through her when she thought of that.

She'd been living with Dave's sister, who was here today, alongside their other relatives as well — her cousins, her uncles, and her grandparents too — the only family Emma had ever known. Everyone present looked deeply worried. They were divided over what Dave and Susan had done, but they didn't like the thought of losing them, and they certainly didn't want to lose Emma either.

Karen was sitting on one side of the room, next to Emma's birth father and a prosecutor. Susan and Dave sat across the floor, alongside the lawyer who was there to defend them.

Emma stroked her temple, taking everything in. The truth had stunned her like nothing else could. She'd been deeply misled by the people she'd trusted, the people she was closest to in life.

In addition to the shock, she felt anger as well — at her parents, for keeping this secret so long; at Karen, for bringing the secret to light; at everyone, for the chaos that her life was in now.

Above all, Emma felt conflicted. Karen was her mother. Emma wanted to know her. And though Susan and Dave had caused her pain, she couldn't deny what was in her heart: they were still her parents — and she still loved them.

* * *

Author's Note: When I watched _Taken Back: Finding Haley_ , I found myself sympathizing with the McQueens, and other viewers did as well. What I found most touching about the film was their perseverance and their commitment to Emma, along with how much Emma loved them too. Actually, it seemed that the film intended it this way at times.

Along with other fans, I felt that the story of how this family came together should have been a little different. As a result, I ended up creating this tale, and got my partners to contribute some artwork. To my surprise, it was a lot of fun to explore and expand the _Taken Back_ world.

Thanks for sharing any thoughts in reviews. I'd be happy to know what you think.

Visit **bluelagoonbash. wordpress. com** for _Taken Back_ artwork.


	2. Present

**"Present"**

* * *

Susan stood just outside of the courtroom, waiting for the end of a brief recess. Dave was talking with their lawyer inside. A quiet guard watched her from down the hall.

She folded her arms, staring down at her blouse, brown hair bundled in a loose ponytail. The thought of jail time was something that scared her, but she found that it wasn't what troubled her most. She was mainly concerned with what would happen to Emma.

The chamber door opened. Karen walked out. Her hair was tightened in a bun as well, and she was dressed in elegant formal wear.

The women held silent, simply eyeing each other. A wave of sunlight slowly passed between them.

Karen's gaze was a mixture of calm and icy.

Susan stared back, taking slow, soft breaths. Her face was more shaken, remorseful even. After a few more seconds, she looked down again. "Why are you here?" she quietly asked. "Why do you need to see me prosecuted?"

Karen closed her eyes, then opened them. "They have a few questions for me as well...but even if they _didn't_ , I'd want to watch this play out. If you'd known me over the last 12 years...you wouldn't have to ask why."

"I never wanted to hurt you." Susan glanced up. "But when I found her that day, I found purpose as well. My purpose always has been, and always will be, to ensure the well-being of that girl in there. The girl that both of us happen to love."

Karen shook her head. "You don't have any business loving her. You don't belong in her life."

Susan flinched, clearly appalled. "I don't 'belong' in her..." She found herself going quiet again — then stood up straight and found her voice. "What does Emma tend to read when she needs to relax? What are her quirks when something's on her mind?"

Karen shuddered a little, looking taken aback.

"Who are her favorite musical groups? What are the sports that she likes to play? How many languages does she speak? How does she cope when she's disappointed? What's her catchphrase when she's happy again?" Susan waited, looking straight at Karen. When no response came, she calmly continued. "I can answer those questions, because I know who she is." She leaned forth a little. "I know who she is because I'm her mother. That word isn't simply defined by blood."

Karen stewed and turned away.

"You're her blood mother," Susan said with a nod, "but I'm her mother as well. So don't tell me I don't belong in her life. No matter what, I'm going to love her for as long as I live." Susan walked past Karen and reentered the court, wiping a tear aside as she moved.

Karen stood still at the hallway's center, her calm eyes studying the plain, brown floor.

* * *

The McQueens' attorney approached the stand. He cleared his throat, and addressed Karen politely. "How did Emma receive the scar on her back?"

Karen made an annoyed face. "Her name is Haley."

"Yes, I understand and respect the fact that you named her Haley, Miss Turner. In this court, we've been instructed to refer to her by her legal and preferred name of Emma McQueen. If it makes things easier, I'll try to avoid that when possible." He paused. "How did she get the scar?"

Karen looked away, feeling an old shame arise.

"While there's time, I want to note that I have a police record of the hospital's report from that day." He held the file and thumbed it gently, encouraging Karen to tell the truth.

She faced him again, speaking quietly. "It was an accident. She fell."

Dave and Susan held hands, briefly eyeing each other. They'd always said this to Emma, and her doctors as well. It'd been comforting to learn that it was actually true, that Emma, in fact, hadn't been abused.

He nodded. "Had you been drinking on the day of this accident?"

After a few seconds, Karen sighed. "I had," she admitted.

A brief silence lingered over the room.

"I want to ask about something more recent, Miss Turner," said the lawyer. "On the night that you revealed your identity to Emma, how did you get her to go home with you?"

Karen shivered, then took a deep breath. Her voice had gone soft when she managed to speak. "I used a sleep agent to put her unconscious...and then I drove her to the house."

"In what _part_ of your vehicle did you place her?"

Karen went quiet.

"I ask because the police found one of Emma's possessions in your trunk."

She closed her eyes.

"Miss Turner...did you place Emma in the trunk?"

After a bit more silence, she calmly spoke up. "Yes."

The crowd erupted in a slew of murmurs, prompting the judge to pound his gavel.

Susan eyed Karen resentfully, then slowly turned her gaze elsewhere.

The lawyer continued. "And this led to the confrontation between yourself and Susan, in which Susan came looking for Emma, correct?"

Karen looked at her lap. "Yes."

* * *

The prosecuting attorney paced before Susan. "So, to recap: you went to Megan's home, threatened her with your gun, and shot her."

Susan made an uneasy face. "I confronted Megan only because I thought that she had taken Emma. I told her to tell me where Emma was, and the gun _accidentally_ went off. I sent several messages of remorse to Megan during her recovery when permitted to..." She looked out at the crowd. "And I'm pleased to see her here today."

Megan stared back a moment, then looked aside.

* * *

The prosecutor lifted his chin while addressing Dave. "So tell me, sir, what was your reaction on the night that Susan brought Emma home?"

Dave wore an astute smile, looking somewhat defensive. "A kid in the rain. A scar on her back. A tear in her eye." He stroked his head. "I was obviously concerned. I realize that we should have reported her. Instead, we tried protecting her. We tried giving Emma the best life that we could." Dave paused. "Maybe it wasn't the right decision, and I'm sorry for the pain that it caused her birth parents...but at the time, we only wanted what we thought was best for Emma." He looked out at his daughter. "We still do."

Emma watched Dave with an unabashed affection.

* * *

Susan stared out at the quiet audience. "I know now that we should have reached a better decision." She took a slow breath. "But I can't apologize for loving Emma. We always have...and we always will." She faced Emma with warmth, and received it in return.

* * *

"It is the decision of this court that the charges against David and Susan McQueen...are dropped. The defendants will not be incarcerated."

The relatives erupted in a rouse of cheers.

Emma's face lit up, and she rushed to her parents. She wrapped her arms around Dave and Susan, who beamed as they happily hugged her back. Seconds later, Emma pulled their lawyer into the hug as well.

He chuckled while giving the three soft pats.

Across the room, Karen found herself staring down at her hands. Her ex-husband, Tim, wrapped an arm around her.

"Sorry, Karen," said the prosecutor.

Karen watched Emma with Susan and Dave. "It's all right," she murmured.

He looked a bit surprised.

She continued looking on as the three embraced. "If they'd gotten sent away, she would be hurting right now." Karen stared. "And I wouldn't want anything to hurt my daughter."


	3. Future

**"Future"**

As none of Emma's parents had been convicted, both sides became eligible to raise her again. Dave and Susan had the option of foster care or adoption, while Karen and Tim were considered for joint custody. For several months following the trial, however, Emma simply remained a ward of the state, which wasn't comfortable sending her to any party at the time.

Eventually, a court began leaning in Karen's favor. Tim opted to let Emma live with her. And when Susan and Dave sought shared custody with Karen, she surprised everyone by agreeing to it.

"What matters most to me is my love for you," Karen said, stroking Emma's shoulders. "I love you, and I want you to be happy."

Emma grinned, and wrapped her arms around Karen. "I love you too."

According to the court's stipulation, Emma would live with Dave and Susan throughout the school week, then would stay with Karen on the other days. This would continue until Emma reached the age of 18, when she could decide her own living arrangement.

As Susan arrived to pick Emma up, Emma waved at Karen, then hopped into the car.

Just before they drove away, Susan leaned toward a window. "Karen," she called.

Karen turned around.

Susan's face softened. "Thank you," she said.

Karen nodded, then walked into her home.

* * *

Emma glanced around at her random belongings, feeling a little thrill as she studied them. It was nice to be back in her own bedroom, to hear her parents wandering through the house. After all that she'd endured over the past few months, the familiar was deeply comforting now.

The truth was out. She knew the facts. But she still had affection for Susan and Dave, and this place she was in still felt like home. She buried her toes in the soothing carpet, which warmed them like it had ever since she was four. Emma grinned, then left her room.

After a family dinner had ended, Emma shared a tender hug with Dave, then cuddled up in Susan's arms. Both were sprawled on the living-room couch. She fixed her gaze on the television, then flashed a smile while holding still. "I love you, Mom," she gently said.

Susan grinned, kissing Emma's head. "I love you too, sweetie."

* * *

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